V05016 - Advanced Apprentice Welding
BAE SYSTEMS PLC
Cumbria (LA14 1AF)
Closes on Saturday 28 February 2026
Posted on 10 November 2025
Contents
Summary
Our Submarines business has been safely delivering world-class submarines to the UK Royal Navy for more than a century. The Astute class will equip the Royal Navy with its largest and most capable generation of attack submarines. We are responsible for the design, build, test and commissioning of these state-of-the-art vessels.
- Wage
-
National Minimum Wage
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
We offer a competitive salary with annual increases throughout the apprenticeship and a range of employee benefits including, free higher education as well as access to the Company pension and share saving scheme
- Training course
- Plate welder (level 3)
- Hours
-
Shifts to be confirmed.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 14 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
30
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Using skilled techniques to make high-strength joints, you will utilise two or more welding processes to join a variety of metals in your day-to-day work.
- Develop competencies to a high level of quality. The work carried out in the role is inspection required as it is safety critical work.
- You will carry out a range of tasks, from pipe welding, gas tungsten arc welding, structural welding and flux core arc welding; these types of finishes are subjected to rigorous inspection and testing.
- Working on the main structures of the submarine, from the outer hull and internal structures such as bulkheads and decking, to the missile tubes and nuclear reactor casing.
Where you'll work
BAE Systems
1st Floor, Main Shipyard Offices
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
LA14 1AF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BAE SYSTEMS PLC
Training course
Plate welder (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Work safely at all times, comply with health, safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
- Can obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation).
- Plan and prepare welding activities before commencing the work.
- Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for activity.
- Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding.
- Inspect assembly to be welded and undertake remedial work to comply with specification, or implement quality steps if rejected.
- Receive, inspect, condition and maintain consumables.
- Set, test and monitor key welding parameters as detailed within the Welding Procedure Specification.
- Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques and report those which cannot be resolved to the appropriate personnel.
- Use manual processes and equipment to remove material (powered and non‐powered).
- Achieves a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO5817, ISO9606, ASME IX, AWS D1.1 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection).
- Complete progressive and final checks on the weld prior to release for formal inspection and report into the production control system at the appropriate stages of the work activity.
- Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two materials from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, High Alloy Ferritic/Martensitic Steel, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Aluminium & Aluminium alloys, Titanium & Titanium Alloys, Copper & Copper Alloys.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components covering three plate welding positions which must include Vertical (either upward or downward progression) and overhead.
- Produce plate welds in 3 main joint configurations (Single or Double Sided Butt, Single or Double Sided T‐Butt & Fillet)
- Work safely at all times, comply with health, safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
- Can obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation).
- Plan and prepare welding activities before commencing the work.
- Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for activity.
- Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding.
- Inspect assembly to be welded and undertake remedial work to comply with specification, or implement quality steps if rejected.
- Receive, inspect, condition and maintain consumables.
- Set, test and monitor key welding parameters as detailed within the Welding Procedure Specification.
- Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques and report those which cannot be resolved to the appropriate personnel.
- Use manual processes and equipment to remove material (powered and non‐powered).
- Achieves a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO5817, ISO9606, ASME IX, AWS D1.1 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection).
- Complete progressive and final checks on the weld prior to release for formal inspection and report into the production control system at the appropriate stages of the work activity.
- Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two materials from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, High Alloy Ferritic/Martensitic Steel, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Aluminium & Aluminium alloys, Titanium & Titanium Alloys, Copper & Copper Alloys.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components covering three plate welding positions which must include Vertical (either upward or downward progression) and overhead.
- Produce plate welds in 3 main joint configurations (Single or Double Sided Butt, Single or Double Sided T‐Butt & Fillet)
Training schedule
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Team working
About this employer
At BAE Systems, we provide some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions. We employ a skilled workforce of more than 93,000 people in around 40 countries. Working with customers and local partners, we develop, engineer, manufacture, and support products and systems to deliver military capability, protect national security, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.
https://careers.baesystems.com/locations/uk/apprentices (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing & lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts.
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Approximately 95% of apprentices choose to stay on with us. As a global business, there are a world of opportunities – whether you decide to stay in the UK, or explore an overseas role.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BAE SYSTEMS PLC
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000350441.
Apply now
Closes on Saturday 28 February 2026
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